


Breath of the Ocean

by Goda



Series: Advent Ficlets 2014 [5]
Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, F/M, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-02-28 10:37:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2729282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goda/pseuds/Goda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: He’s a pirate. And she might as well be a mermaid, seeing as she can breathe underwater. Balthier knows how those stories tend to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VanityShion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanityShion/gifts).



> This one wasn't intended to be a three parter, but then my little brain squirrels got busy and decided that yes, I'd be doing more than one part. Look for the next chapters soon. Rated Mature for part two.

At first, he blamed it on the sun. He had been on deck all day and that sort of time spent under the rays had the potential to do things to a man, blind him to the reality of the situation. Then he assumed that it was some sort of fish or shark, something large enough to confuse him. Now, Balthier was simply refusing to allow the word mermaid past his lips, even as he tracked the form in the water.

He was nearly motionless for a half hour, watching what was under the surface of the water, waiting for it to come up for breath. It never did, not once. Nearly ready to give in and just go to his cabin, the pirate was about to look away when suddenly, it- she- broke through the surface.

As short strands of brown hair flipped back over her head to rest against the back of her neck, the female was already smiling. Balthier could only see her from the waist up. Over her breasts, she wore a simple black cloth string bikini top. He raised his spyglass to his eye and got a closer look. There was a geometric designed picked out in blue thread, almost like a letter J.

“Eyes are up here,” came a sing-song call. Immediately, he lowered the glass and looked out at the woman with his own eyes. “I could feel you staring at me while I swam. It was making things… uncomfortable, so I thought I’d introduce myself. I’m Yuna.”

“Captain Balthier,” he said immediately before scowling. “You must be one of the fair merfolk we’ve heard about in these parts. I do hope that you’re not intending to drag my crew, one by one, into the watery depths.”

He hadn’t expected for her to laugh in response. “You think I’m a mermaid? No. No, human as you, Captain.” A smile peeked out again even as she lowered her head to hide it. “No intent to drown your people either. I was fishing. There are clams here that produce pearls, and they make a delicious dinner as well. Just happened to run into your ship as well.”

The brunet shook his head. “No, you were under the water for a half hour. You didn’t surface for air once. Nothing can do that without gills. What are you?”

He could feel her eyes roll more than see it at this distance. Yuna muttered something under her breath that he couldn’t hear, then leaned back in the water to float on the surface. One foot, the nails painted a delicate pink, lifted fully out of the water to show itself. “Legs. Not telling you how I manage, because everyone gets their secrets. But I have legs. I’m human. Now, to business. You will leave the locals alone. No attacking their boats unless you want your own to suddenly develop faults. Otherwise, you’re welcome to Besaid, Captain. The town will be happy for the coin. Just stay legal.”

Before he could protest, she simply stopped floating, disappearing without flashy dive back into the beautiful blue water. He leaned over the railing but could only make out her form for a few moments. “Yuna,” he whispered to himself. “Well, then. That’s something new.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He intended to go down with his ship. She had other plans for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I'm actually caught up on this advent thing. I'm anticipating getting the final installment up tomorrow, but it's possible I'll get focused on something else. But it will be done before December 24th.

The storm had run them aground on the coral only to batter the ship even further. As the clouds had rolled in, Balthier gave into the nagging feeling in his chest and sent the rest of the crew to the island in the long boats. There was no sense in anyone else risking death for the ship with him when he could attempt to steer them in the right direction alone. If he could just get through this storm…

But he knew better than hoping as he watched a massive wave come at him. “At least I died at sea,” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes seconds before the ocean took back his boat and shattered it around him.

Everything was a mix of sensations and sounds. His body limp with the expectation of what was to come, the captain was battered about, in and out of the water. He couldn’t tell if he breathed his love or air sometimes.

Abruptly, he snapped to attention as he felt two narrow arms wrap around his torso and hang in, feet kicking powerfully between his legs. Balthier knew better than struggling; that would mean almost certain death for both him and his rescuer, but he did begin kicking to help propel them along. His vision stayed obscured by salt and darkness. Still, he knew lips when he felt them, sealing over his own and pushing air into his lungs. He shared several breaths before holding the oxygen inside his chest hard as they took the final surge.

He was pulled onto a little beach inside of a cave. With free access to air, he coughed up what felt like its own sea from his lungs, leaving it on the sand. Eventually, the captain lifted his eyes to see his rescuer. “Yuna.”

Her hands were on her knees as she leaned in to look at him. “That was a risk and not worth it. Your men came into town, said what was going on, and I had to check on you.” They had been talking for the last two weeks now, every day meeting at sunset by the side of his ship. “Do you know how they would have felt if they lost you? What would-”

He cut her off with a hard kiss to her mouth, an exchange of passion instead of breath. “Would you shut up?” he asked against her lips. “I’m trying to be glad that I didn’t just die.”

Blue and green eyes stared at his face. He had never been close enough to see that they were two different colors. “Come on,” she said softly, pulling him further into the cave. “You need out of those clothes. I’ve made a little bed here.”

“And you’ll share it with me?” he asked, leaning in to bite at the salty sweet skin of her neck. “Keep me warm? Share pleasure with me tonight, Yuna. I wish to thank you.”

Her hands were bold, running down his back to grip his cheeks hard, massaging them. Her voice, however, was soft, almost hesitant. “You don’t need to thank me like this unless it’s what you want, Balthier. But… yes. I’ll share with you.

“Yes.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She had a gift for him, but could he survive it?

For once, the island waters felt warm on his skin. Balthier almost felt like dozing as he floated in the water so far from shore. These days, everything was changing. His crew was settling on the island and though they were rebuilding the Strahl, he had the feeling that they weren’t going to venture far from Besaid for quite some time. Captain though he may be, dictator he was not.

“Balthier!”

Of course, he had his own reasons now to stick around the island. His body shifted in the water so that he was upright, treading to keep in place. A lazy smile curled his lips as he watched Yuna dive into the water and swim out to meet him. He still wasn’t quite sure what she was- a sorceress, a selkie, a god- but the entire population adored her and she seemed to be happy with him. That’s all that mattered.

“Are you ready?” she asked when she reached him, surfacing with barely a ripple. “It’s going to be… frightening at the start. I won’t lie about that. But I know that you can do this. I believe in you.”

He cut off any more reassurances with a soft kiss to her lips. “I believe that I can as well,” he agreed, hands skimming down her sides under the water as their legs idly kicked and tangled together. “And I trust in your magic.”

Wonders had been shown to him in the last few months, wonders by her hands. She could shape water to her will, cause it to rise up and dance with her as she walked on it. Always, she had that shy smile on her face when she looked back at him, saying without words that she hoped he’d take her as she was. As a result, he never could bring himself to ask her just what gave the water such animation around her. Now, she offered him a gift- to breathe the water as if it were air.

Her hands reached out for his throat of all things, wrapping loosely there. Even with the bright light of the sun and the angle of her hands keeping most of what she was doing out of his peripheral vision, he still saw the blue-green-gold glow of her magic as she weaved her spell. His eyes watched the concentration on her face, watched as she chewed her lower lip in debate.

Finally, her mismatched eyes met his. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, but before he could ask why, she was dragging him under the water with a strength he didn’t know she possessed.

The captain couldn’t help it; he panicked. His body twisted and flailed against hers, trying to get himself free and back up to the surface. His lung burned for air, as he hadn’t had the time to inhale before they submerged. Finally, his body gave up and overrode his brain, letting go of the air in his lungs and sucking in water instead.

But he didn’t feel like he was drowning. Yuna had let go of him, floating nearby with a worried look on her face, and he pulled in another breath. Then another. The magic had worked; he could breathe underwater. It felt like he was pulling in pure air, like he was standing on the beach instead of waiting under the surface, like there was a bubble of air around him for his personal use. Delight filled his blood. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

The look on his face seemed to reassure Yuna, who looked happy again. He reached for her and she came willingly to his arms, eager to share a kiss of victory. When they parted again, he gave her a short grin, then took off, knowing she would be right at his heels, chasing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole thing kicked my ass briefly, but I've gotten this one finished. New goal is just to finish the list of 24 sometime in December, so here's hoping. Anyone who wants to either nag me into writing or send hopeful notes is welcome to come find me at godaat221b.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on tumblr [here.](http://godaof221b.tumblr.com)


End file.
